Modem Support List

[madmax]

Can you tell me which GSM Phones this plugin supports? I see a lot of cheap RS232 GSM units on eBay but want to make sure they work.

Thanks

[beerygaz]

I don't have a dedicated list other than anything based on the Siemes M55 chipset and the Westermo GS-01 (6195-2201). However it should work with anything that supports the standard AT command set for SMS (some chipsets don't support signal strength reporting for instance but that's not critical). It does support both TEXT and PDU modes for sending and receiving, however, so that's most of the device types covered.

If you can find any documentation on the device you're looking at buying and send it to me, then I'd be happy to review and confirm the device is supported or add support for it if I can.

[Vincenttor]

I have a collection of Siemens phones at this moment and data cables as well.
But the cables do not seem to work here :S
Going to eat my hair in a few minutes haha.

[beerygaz]

The simplest way to test is:

1. Are they serial cables or USB?
2. If USB does a COM port get created when you plug one in?
3. Grab a copy of putty or other terminal software, connect to the COM port (the post you connected the serial cable to or the one that gets created when you connect the USB cable) at 9600,N,8,1 and type ATZ <enter>
4. If you see OK as a response there's hope. If not, there are more fundamental driver, cable or communication issues that need solving before the plugin will work.

[Kitar]

Need more modem support information - any update ?

I have a collection of Siemens phones at this moment and data cables as well.
But the cables do not seem to work here :S
Going to eat my hair in a few minutes haha.

Progress report ? Did you get this to work with an old Siemens phone and cable ?

[Pete]

Goofing around here with an Ericsson W.25

I have it configured as a phone line and secondary fail over internet connection using PFSense.

I just read that I can also use the modem in it for SMS via telnet commands.

Would the plugin work with doing terminal commands via a telnet connection?

Reading SMS messages via telnet is simple:

1 - Switch the SMS mode to text

mctl issue at+cmgf=1

2 - List the unread SMS messages

mctl issue at+cmgl

3 - List already read messages

mctl issue at+cmgl='"rec read"'

4 - Sending an SMS message

usage() {
echo "Usage: $0 'phone number' 'message'"
echo "Sends the SMS message"
}

if [ $# -ne 2 ]; then
usage
exit 1
else
chat -T "$1" -U "$2" -f /root/testchat -v /dev/modemctl
fi

exit 0

Just found a little bit of a tweak for a direct serial port connection.



J4 connector, unpopulated

5 - TP5: Txd (output)
4 - GND
1 - TP6: RxD (input)

For accessing the console you need
- to solder pins onto connector pads
- 3.3V TTL logic/ RS232 converter, like MAX232, or
- USB/serial TTL level converter, e.g. FTDI Ft232R

[beerygaz]

Pete, the plugin only supports serial communication using the modem AT command set.

Your best bet to test is see if you can get a serial to IP emulator going, open the virtual COM port it creates and type ATZ<crlf>. If you get OK back, we may be in business.

[Pete]

Thank you berrygaz.

Yes; a telnet to the box and typing modem commands works fine.

Just tested the above mentioned stuff.

I am looking to making the Ericsson device sort of multipurpose.

[beerygaz]

Looking at the code above I think we can make this work. Can you get a com port emulator working?

[Pete]

I am not sure what you mean about a "com port emulator".

I am just telnetting to the device and issuing modem commands. (via wintel putty or linux telnet).

I have not tried an old terminal program yet.

Goal here is just doing this in Linux via Homeseer 3 running on Ubuntu.

Will try here with socat or ser2net/minicom tinkering a bit...

[Pete]

Here is a quickie step by step...just relating to the Ericsson W.25 modem combo. BTW this W.25 came from Powertec Communications in Australia.

For the operator mode is:
user id: operator
password: -cpeps

administrator mode is:
user id: root
password: feb.07

# cd /
# ls
bin home lost+found proc srv var
boot lib media root sys
dev libexec mnt rw tmp
etc linuxrc opt sbin usr


# mctl issue at+cmgf=1
OK
# mctl issue at+cmgl
OK

# mctl --help

COMMAND is one of the following:
allowbands BANDS
BANDS: gsm850 gsm900 gsm1800 gsm1900 imt2000 wcdma1900 wcdma900 wcdma850 any.
apn PDP-INDEX WCDMA_APN [GSM_APN]
Sets APN to use. If GSM_APN is omitted, WCDMA_APN is used for GSM too.
ecio
Prints the current Ec/Io values.
imsi
Prints the IMSI of the SIM card.
module
Prints module information,
operator
Prints the operator name, MCC and MNC.
pin-status
Checks SIM card's pin status (raw).
prl-region
Gets or sets the PRL region.
reset
Reset module and enable radio.
rscp
Prints the current RSCP values.
sim-pin-status
Checks SIM card's pin status.
sim-operator-allowed
Checks SIM card's pin status.
pdp-auth AUTH_TYPE PDP-INDEX [USERNAME] [PASSWORD]
Setup PDP authentication. AUTH_TYPE: NONE PAP CHAP
ping
Pings the modem using the simle 'AT' AT command.
issue AT_COMMAND_STRING
Issues the supplied AT command to the modem.
upgrade FILE
Upgrade modem firmware. If FILE is - then read from stdin.
tech TECH
Set technology to use. TECH: any 3g 2g none

# mctl issue atz
OK

Noticed too that SSH will probably work.

# cd ssh
# ls
moduli ssh_host_dsa_key.pub sshd.conf.template
ssh_host_dsa_key sshd.conf

Next will configure the Homeseer 3 box with serial via telnet to see which way is the fastest plug n play methodology...old stuff playing here....

[beerygaz]

Ser2net should work to create a tty to map to the ip you're telneting to. Multi-use may be an issue though. The plugin is bidirectional (receives messages too) so relies on a constant connection to the device to raise events on inbound messages. If the gizmo is not always in 'sms' mode we may have some challenges.

[beerygaz]

Ok. Now I get it. You can't send the AT command set directly, you need to issue the 'mctl issue' prefix in the shell. My SMS plugin isn't built for that sort of interface I'm afraid. socat and some scripting is going to be your only option here I'm afraid. Assuming you don't have to use PDU mode to send messages (and your above notes suggest you don't) then you should be able to get an SMS sent.

Does the direct serial expose the DCE interface directly or is it just a tty terminal to the shell?

[Pete]

Does the direct serial expose the DCE interface directly or is it just a tty terminal to the shell?

Looks to be like a JTAG connection. From there thinking I can get to the modem connection too just talking directly to whatever TTY port it is on.

Thinking this script just sends a text then exits texting stuff.

usage() {
echo "Usage: $0 'phone number' 'message'"
echo "Sends the SMS message"
}

if [ $# -ne 2 ]; then
usage
exit 1
else
chat -T "$1" -U "$2" -f /root/testchat -v /dev/modemctl
fi

exit 0

Will try using telephone mode and try sending a text to see if it drops line or not.

To control the modem of the W25 there are two commands to use:
1 - msctl - this is a high level handling with predefined command
2 - mctl - this is a low level command, which you can use to send AT command to the modem

The Ser2net connection would be only for single use only. (IE: then the device would be my fail over internet, VOIP failover and SMS device).

There is also a FAX port on it.

Found another script that I can install on the W.25

create file sendsms2 and mke it executable chmod 755 sendsms2
----------------
#!/bin/sh
usage() {
echo "Usage: $0 'phone number' 'message'"
echo "Sends the SMS message"
}
if [ $# -ne 2 ]; then
usage
exit 1
else
var_date=`date`
var_sec=`expr substr "$var_date" 18 2`
if [ "$var_sec" -ge "55" ]
then
sleep 10
fi
if [ "$var_sec" -le "5" ]
then
sleep 10
fi
chat -T "$1" -U "$2" -f /rw/root/testchat -v < /dev/modemctl > /dev/modemctl
fi
---------------

To send sms:
./sendsms2 +370699XXXXX 'text you want to send'